brillando: ([Random] orca love)
Bri ([personal profile] brillando) wrote2007-12-09 12:26 am

musings on language

I watched Cinema Paradiso tonight for my film class, and yeah, it's a great film. But the more interesting aspect to me was the fact that it was all in Italian, and not just that, but - the fact that, even though I've never studied Italian in my life, I was able to read it. xD;; Though there wasn't a lot TO read. Still, just listening to the language was interesting: not only is it beautiful, but I was able to pick up a few Italian vocabulary just because of my knowledge of both French and Spanish.

It's strange, but I really feel like Italian is this mix between French and Spanish, which just doesn't make much sense to me with my limited linguistic knowledge, because that should only happen if Italy was in between Spain and France - but obviously, it's not. So now I'm extremely interested in the development of these languages, and namely, in how the FUCK did French turn out so differently? Because really, Italian is overall more similar to Spanish, from what I could catch. Quite fascinating.

And earlier today, I was out doing a few errands, and some required me to go to my college. Every Saturday there is a swap meet there, and it is run and attended mainly by Spanish speakers, though of course the vendors know English. But just because they know it, doesn't mean that I heard it that much - the only time I heard English was when I talked to them (I would've tried speaking in Spanish if I had any confidence in my ability just yet).

And just... I can't really describe the kind of contentment that I had as I walked down the rows, listening to the Spanish that I couldn't really understand around me, reading the Spanish signs... for once, I was the minority, with my white skin and the lack of language knowledge. It felt like, for those moments, that I wasn't in California, or the US, but rather another country, like Mexico, or maybe someplace more south.

The fact that that made me so happy is just a sign that... I really need to get the fuck out of here. LOL. No offense to my country, as it's a lovely place, and I'm proud to call California my home, but that just only fueled my fire for traveling. I don't know when it'll happen, but I'm going to make sure that it will.
ext_66844: (el sexta espada >D)

[identity profile] renaissanced.livejournal.com 2007-12-10 12:42 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, sometimes it's a bummer to be white. I personally have no connection to my heritage (half Irish, quarter Scottish, the rest is some English, French, Jewish, Native American mix), so besides like Christmas and such, I have nothing to celebrate. And then, white's the majority so I get no spiffy scholarships. :\

However, I do like my white people hair XD

If you do move, I fear we will get no more LJ posts in English x3

[identity profile] jetaimerai.livejournal.com 2007-12-10 12:53 am (UTC)(link)
Heritage? WHAT heritage?!?! That's usually my response to that question, lol. But I know that I'm half German, and half eurotrash, though mainly English and Polish. I have absolutely no connection to my heritage at all; to me, American is my ethnicity, LOL

Yeah, sometimes I wish I wasn't white just for the scholarships. LOL. That's kinda terrible though, oh well...

Ahaha, no, that's very unlikely. English is and always will be my native language, after all. But if I accumulate more friends who speak other languages, then I might post more often in other languages... for now, just English, pretty much. ;)
ext_66844: (Neliel wuvs her ice-cream *___*)

[identity profile] renaissanced.livejournal.com 2007-12-10 01:44 am (UTC)(link)
XD If/Once you do go abroad, will you lie and say you're British to get over that prejudice against the USA?

I admit to this as well. >__> I sometimes wonder when it's too much help, but then that gets into the different race cultures and the economy so I just stop. America's too big to handle all its problems, I think. Look at Russia and the crazy that's going on there, y'know?

I still &hearts the United States tho XD

[identity profile] jetaimerai.livejournal.com 2007-12-10 02:08 am (UTC)(link)
LOL no way! For one, I don't know much about Great Britain so I wouldn't be able to cover my ass for very long. Also, if I admit to being American, then I have the chance to show people that hey, not all Americans are ignorant idiots! haha And well, I also ♥ the US. :)